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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is it stealing?

47 replies

Nc830 · 27/07/2022 21:36

My friend posted a story on Instagram of her kids age 4 and 6 in a PYO strawberry field and they were eating the strawberries and covered in strawberry mess all over their clothes.

another incident where I was looking through reviews on my local farm shop and somebody had wrote a 1* review because the farm worker had told them off for eating the strawberries as picking. Farm shop responded saying they had been caught carrying a pot of sugar and going round eating them.

is it wrong this annoys me? Yes I have no life but that’s not the point. I wouldn’t dare eat them,
firstly because they need washing
and secondly because it’s technically stealing as you only buy the ones in your punnet when they’re weighed at the end. To carry round a pot of sugar is taking the p*ss really. Is it honestly widely acceptable? Farm shops aren’t charities

YABU - it’s fine to do
YANBU - it’s stealing

OP posts:

PuffinMcStuffin · 27/07/2022 21:37

I'm not sure about that but it is deeply wrong to dip strawberries in sugar!

BotterMon · 27/07/2022 21:39

The pot of sugar is CF. Everyone nicks a strawberry or two when picking and that's factored into the price but stuffing your face is defo not ok.

ShirleyPhallus · 27/07/2022 21:39

This will be one of those topics that you’ll get a huge majority saying YANBU as there are semi-regular threads about people giving toddlers a few grapes in the supermarket and that is always met with horrified “you thief! Throw her in the stocks!”

Personally, i think there is something built in to the cost margins that the farm knows people will eat a few on the way around so i couldn’t get het up about that, but anything more than that is nicking.

As an aside, any farms which have strawberries which need sugar from being picked fresh wouldn’t be a business I’d want to pick from anyway

moksorineouimoksori · 27/07/2022 21:41

I think a child eating the odd one or two is probably inevitable.
Would raise an eyebrow at adults doing this and wouldn't do it myself because yes technically it is stealing and they are not washed.
Could this be solved by asking people to pay a fixed fee to pick the strawberries on top of the lot they get weighed at the end?
I have never been to a strawberry field myself so don't know if this is something that is done...

tinselvestsparklepants · 27/07/2022 21:43

As a child I went picking and stuffed my face. Been allergic to them ever since! 😣

SmileyClare · 27/07/2022 21:45

I remember as children sneaking a few strawberries into our mouths at PYO. I think the farm can absorb that, along with a few being dropped, trodden on etc.

It's a bit daft to post it all over social media. I can't see why a 6 year-old would be covered all over their clothes? Most 6 year-olds can manage to get food into their mouths so I'm cringing about the staged photo Op.

Most parents don't take the piss imo.. eating the odd few is ok and most likely factored into the prices they charge.

takeitandleaveit · 27/07/2022 21:46

A PYO near here has got round the problem by having a sign which reads:

'All children will be weighed on entry and exit'

sunsetsandsandybeaches · 27/07/2022 21:50

Isn't that the best part of going strawberry picking?!

I used to love going with my dad as a kid - there are tons of old photos of me covered in strawberry juice and grinning away

mrsm43s · 27/07/2022 21:54

PYO around us charge about £15 a punnet, so I think they've factored the cost of some being eaten in! If they were charging a normal price (say 20% less than the supermarket bearing in mind they're not paying for packaging or labour) then you might have a point.

Helpyou · 27/07/2022 21:54

I thought you were allowed to eat some when going round? Isn't that why the punnet end up costing like double the supermarket prices?! 🤔

Hawkins001 · 27/07/2022 21:57

Until the items are paid for then they belong to that owner.

CharlotteOH · 27/07/2022 21:58

Yep, it’s stealing.

But much worse than that, is letting a child eat fruit straight from the field when it’s absolutely covered in pesticides. There’s a farm like this near me so I see what they spray on the fruit. It sends up a huge cloud of toxins.

Anyone who eats straight from the field without washing it is an idiot.

andweallsingalong · 27/07/2022 22:01

I think it depends on the PYO. Some allow eating as well as picking, depends on the sign at the entrance.

limitededitionbarbie · 27/07/2022 22:02

I take mine licking and yes they may eat one or two but I would not let them take sugar to dip them in. That's a piss take.

schnix · 27/07/2022 22:05

Most PYO know and are okay with kids eating a few while picking, the pot of sugar is cheeky.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 27/07/2022 22:16

It's definitely factored into the cost

ShirleyPhallus · 27/07/2022 22:16

limitededitionbarbie · 27/07/2022 22:02

I take mine licking and yes they may eat one or two but I would not let them take sugar to dip them in. That's a piss take.

I don’t think you should be letting them lick them, people have to buy them afterwards!

SleepingStandingUp · 27/07/2022 22:20

Our strawberry farm had an honesty pot so you'd pay for your fruit and throw a bit in the pot.

Taking a pot of sugar to eat a sweet fruit is ridiculous any way.

L1ttledrummergirl · 27/07/2022 22:29

I thought that was why they always charge a lot more. One for you, one for the pot, especially as not only are they avoiding paying wages to have them picked, but being paid instead.

bridgetreilly · 27/07/2022 22:31

Eating a few, totally fine. Toddlers getting a bit messy, normal. Taking sugar is absolute CFery.

FoxtrotSkarloey · 27/07/2022 22:32

Enlightening. I've never dared take my 1 yo and 3 yo because I don't think I could stop them trying the berries, and I was worried about the consequences. Seems like a little bit of sampling is most likely factored in.

Nc830 · 27/07/2022 22:34

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

ThinWomansBrain · 27/07/2022 22:36

takeitandleaveit · 27/07/2022 21:46

A PYO near here has got round the problem by having a sign which reads:

'All children will be weighed on entry and exit'

so if they have a big poo whilst there and are thus lighter on teh way out, do you get a refund😁

Notanotherwindow · 27/07/2022 22:40

Technically it is stealing and I wouldn't let mine do it but I'd be more concerned about the pesticides sprayed on them. Have you any idea how many chemicals are on the fruit?

ChuckMater · 27/07/2022 22:42

At my local pyo farm they actively encouraged my 3yo to taste the fruit and eat it as we picked it so yabu there.

Sugar bowl however, outrageous! Yanbu

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